Matt Bastock Gambling Expert
Matt is a casino and sports betting expert with over two decades' writing and editing experience. He loves getting into the nitty gritty of how casinos and sportsbooks really operate in order to make solid...
Read Full BioYouTube is putting the brakes on online betting with a crackdown on gambling-related content.
Videos promoting online casinos, gambling apps, and similar content will be restricted to users 18 and over.
Links to ‘unapproved’ gambling websites, including logos, images, and text, will also be banned.
The new policies went live in March and form part of a broader initiative by YouTube’s parent company Google to address harmful content connected to gambling.
The Rough and the Smooth
The policy update comes as sports betting and iGaming continues to thrive in the U.S., following the Supreme Court’s ruling that the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which barred sports betting, was unconstitutional.
The decision gives states the option to legalize, regulate, and tax gambling. It’s proven to be a lucrative source of revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing a record $15.66 billion to state coffers last year.
However, the increasing expansion of the betting industry is causing concern among public health officials, worried about the increase in potential harms associated with problem gambling.
A Responsible Environment
YouTube’s decision to tighten its policies on gambling-related content is driven by increased public scrutiny and a broader effort to create a safe online environment.
The official line from YouTube is: “As of March 19th 2025, we’re strengthening our existing policies related to online gambling. Currently, we don’t allow any method of directing viewers to gambling sites or applications that aren’t certified by Google.
“[From the 19th] this policy will also include URLs, links embedded in images or text, and visual displays, including logos or verbal references, while content promising guaranteed returns may also be removed, regardless of whether the online gambling site or application has been approved by Google.”
Streamers in the Spotlight
There are scores of streamers and influencers likely to be impacted by this new legislation, including popular vloggers Roshtein, Adin Ross, and Brian Christopher.
The content they create will be subject to age restriction and could be banned altogether, especially if it is deemed to promise ‘guaranteed’ winnings or returns.
As the popularity of online gambling continues to rise, these changes are a clear indication that YouTube is taking proactive steps to protect its users and responding to the ever evolving challenges posed by gambling content online.
